CarComplaints.com Notes: You don't want to get 2009 and 2010 Altima owners started about their cars. That is, unless, you know how to start their cars.
These vehicles can suddenly become impossible to start thanks to a faulty electronic steering column lock (ESCL). Nissan dealers will gladly replace it, but that will run you $1000.
More info & videos about the Nissan ESCL defect are available over at NissanProblems.com.
It's one of the many reasons this car was named CarTalk's Turd of the Week and given our Beware of this Clunker badge. Two dubious honors.
My car will shake when running. It will work OK, but more problems happen when the car runs on HW for over half an hour. The car will not speed up, the rpm will move up but car not going any faster. If you keep going, it will slow down to a stop. Car will work again after it cools down. The shaking never goes away. I am using it to drive to work for a while now - It takes me only 20 min to drive there and the overheating doesn't happen in that time. The car shake never goes away though. Transmission failed.
We had the CVT fixed once, fortunately at 119,000 miles, barely within the extended warranty. After whining noises, we spent $1,200 on a transmission cooler, which was supposed to fix the problem. Now, at $149,000 it quit again, in traffic. Wouldn't move. Waiting for the estimate, which I expect will be $3,000+.
I am traveling from CA to MO to move with my 5 year old son riding with me. While going uphill even slightly my 2009 Nissan Altima has been losing power, anywhere from 25-50 mph uphill. It's extremely scary, with a child in the car especially, and semis flying by me and I can't go over 25 at times going uphill. I'm having to drive on the side of the road with my flashers on. Once I get to flat ground it can accelerate, usually, but yesterday all day couldn't go over 60 anywhere.
I am reading all over the internet and seeing videos of the exact same issue I am having and everyone is saying the CVT transmissions on some Nissans, including mine, need to have a transmission cooler (whatever that is) installed to make it work correctly because there is a sensor that causes it to go into safe mode and slows it down like this. I'm at the dealer and they are saying they don't see any issue other than we can try changing the transmission fluid (I just had it changed 2 months ago). I'm very scared to get back out on the freeway tonight with my son in the car. Seems like there needs to be a recall if this type of safe mode is considered "normal" and happening to so many so often.
The delightfully ignorant service staff at Midway Nissan in Phoenix refuses to fix the problem under the extended warranty stating that "it's not the transmission that's the problem, it's the fluid that cools the transmission that isn't working". They recommend adding an external transmission cooler in order to resolve the issue of the transmission overheating and going into "fail-safe" mode when driving from Phoenix to Flagstaff. This issue causes the car to lose power immediately and is accompanied by a loud whining sound. It is incredibly dangerous when the car loses all ability to accelerate while traveling on the freeway. Thanks for absolutely nothing Nissan!
- azto,
Phoenix, AZ, US
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My car will shake when running. It will work OK, but more problems happen when the car runs on HW for over half an hour. The car will not speed up, the rpm will move up but car not going any faster. If you keep going, it will slow down to a stop. Car will work again after it cools down. The shaking never goes away. I am using it to drive to work for a while now - It takes me only 20 min to drive there and the overheating doesn't happen in that time. The car shake never goes away though. Transmission failed.
- Sengpheth M., Happy Valley, OR, US